London Knights: Sarnia stung by video review and get swept in annual home-and-home series

The Knights bid adieu to 2017 by beating the Sting after a controversial penalty call to Sarnia centre Franco Sproviero.

And Monday before 9,036 at Budweiser Gardens, London rang in 2018 with a 4-1 victory over the Sting thanks in large part to a Sproviero go-ahead goal that was overturned by video review.

Tied in the second period, the puck hit Sarnia’s Jordan Ernst’s stick and appeared to glance off his helmet to a teammate, who passed it to a wide-open Sproviero for the tally.

After a six-minute review upstairs, the goal was denied on a high stick.

Seven minutes later, London rookie defenceman Andrew Perrott converted on a rush for the lead, and the Knights added a pair in the third for the holiday sweep of their Hwy 402 rivals.

"They (the officials) wanted to make sure the call was all clean," London assistant coach Rick Steadman said. "I’m sure they had to look at it a bunch of times, then went back to the rule book to make sure they can make that (over-rule).

"We think they made the right call."

Ernst grabbed his head as if the puck had struck him there. The Knights brass said they looked at the replay, froze the video and couldn’t find any indication that it hit anything but his stick — which should have forced an immediate whistle.

A day after Sarnia coach Derian Hatcher said the OHL "should be embarrassed" and one of its referees should be fined for a game-deciding "joke" of a penalty call on Sproviero, he will look to the league for guidance on a unique play.

Usually, it’s a puck directed in with a high stick that is disallowed.

"I just don’t know what the rule is," Hatcher said. "We had it, passed it and made a play. When’s that play end? I just want a clarification of the rule. They (the refs) weren’t sure. They got over-ruled from up top.

"I’ll find out exactly what it is."

The Sting have struggled without leading scorer Jordan Kyrou, currently with the Canadian world junior team. They have dropped four in a row.

"It’s frustrating," Hatcher said. "Even on (London’s) first goal, we were playing really well in the first, turned the puck over and they scored. I think there were a few turning points.

"It shows the margin of victory in this league is tight."

According to OHL sources, there are plenty of teams calling the Knights asking about the availability of some veteran players with the trade deadline looming.

But London just jumped into fourth place in the Western Conference behind the Sting. They did it with backup goaltender Jordan Kooy winning rare starts on back-to-back days and goals from 16-year-olds Perrot and Dalton Duhart.

"First year is always tough on the young guys," Perrott said. "We stick together. To see (Dalton) score and Lucas (first-rounder Lucas Rowe) play very well is big.

"I’m very happy for both of them."

CHIP OFF THE BLOCK: Right before the high-stick incident, Perrott tangled with the 20-year-old Ernst, who he thought tried to take a little whack at Kooy with his stick near the crease.

Both drew roughing penalties and they continued to talk to each other from their penalty box seats.

"Things get heated out there," Perrott said. "Don’t really look at age. Just trying to stick up for my teammates."

The game grew increasingly physical from that point and it was little surprise Perrott grew more engaged, then ended up scoring.

"My dad (ex NHL-er Nathan) always taught me playing the body is the easy way to separate an opponent from the puck," he said. "It seems to work and I like to hit people."

The former football player is one of the stronger rookies to come through London in a while.

"He wants to run into people," Steadman said. "He wants to be involved. When he gets into it like that, he seems to touch the puck more and make better reads. We want him to play hard, hit and it got him a nice goal."

GOALIE IMPROVING: Injured Knights goaltender Joseph Raaymaker worked out on the ice Monday, but Anthony Hurtubise, the St. Thomas Stars goaltender, served as backup to Kooy for a second straight game. "We’re taking it slow," London assistant coach Dylan Hunter said. "We’ll see how (Joe) feels (Tuesday). He’s getting better every day." Raaymakers is still listed as day-to-day after straining his leg last Thursday in Flint, the first game back from the holiday break. He had been on a 25-game starting streak. The Knights are optimistic he will be ready later this week for their northern swing.

OUTDOOR FUN: Knights equipment manager Chris Maton already had an outdoor game under his belt after London faced Plymouth at Detroit’s Comerica Park in the 2013-14 season. So he was invited by Hockey Canada to help them through their experience against the United States at the world juniors in Buffalo last week.

The little details — from covering sticks with towels so they don’t get soaking wet from the snow to going through boxes of hand warmers — are compelling.

Canada started with tinted visors on its helmets because of sun glare, but was forced to switch to regular ones five minutes in when conditions changed.

"The snow was hectic because they couldn’t see the puck all the time," Maton said. "The visors were getting wet, so we were drying them with towels. We had glove dryers beside the bench. But you couldn’t bring too much stuff to the bench because it was just getting snowed on — and the dressing room (the NFL visiting team’s room) was far away, a three-or four-minute walk. You had to keep running back for stuff."

It was so cold, water bottles froze during practice. But with the heated benches during the game, they didn’t.

"It was a great experience," Maton said, "and I was glad I went. When Hockey Canada calls, you can’t turn them down."

QUICK HITS: Kooy had the Knights’ first victory of the 2017-18 season when he beat Saginaw back in September. He waited until the last day of 2017 for his next one, and he has the first in 2018, too. "Overall, it’s been fun," he said. "It’s a confidence boost for the guys, knowing they have two goalies who can win games." . . . Alex Turko created London’s first goal. He drew a Sting penalty, too, and Cole Tymkin chipped in an insurance marker. It was a good day for the Knights’ blue-collar crew — and youngsters. "We rely on them to grind it up for us," centre Tyler Rollo said. "We had a nice forecheck going." . . . Windsor sent Kingston native Gabe Vilardi and d-man Sean Day, both Memorial Cup champs, to the Frontenacs for rookie forward Cody Morgan and eight premium draft picks (three are conditional). Windsor and Kingston meet Friday. It’s a bit of a gamble for the Fronts since Vilardi, back from injury, has yet to play this season . . . You can tell it’s trade deadline time in junior hockey. An OHL GM with players on the selling block mentioned the other day he checked his phone and took 56 calls over one day.

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